KARACHI, March 3: The Karachi Customs Agents Group (KCAG) has called upon the government to immediately cancel the licences of inefficient and costly private terminals operating at Karachi and Qasim ports and causing great damage to exports.

Addressing a press conference, KCAG president Sultan Mahmood, senior vice-president Qamar Alam and secretary-general Tariq Siddiqui alleged that these terminals were not providing full services because of shortage of manpower and other facilities.

The office-bearers of the group pointed out that despite the fact that there were no proper and sufficient facilities at the Qasim International Container Terminal (QICT), handing charges had been also increased up to 250pc.

Similarly, they said that wharfage charges of the Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT) and of the QICT were much higher. As a result, they said, on daily basis around 200 containers with export goods worth millions of dollars could not be loaded on ships, which was contrary to the government policy of promoting exports.

They further said that a long queue of trucks loaded with containers carrying export cargoes had to wait for 12-24 hours for their turn outside the Port Qasim. "As a result a large number containers are remained unloaded as the terminal fails to handle them."

The government's objective to privatize the container terminals in 1997 was to provide efficient and quick handling facilities. It granted licences to private container operators, but contrary to this they created more problems for exporters and customs agents, they lamented.

The office-bearers urged the government to lay down rules for fixing of handling and other charges by the private terminals to avoid more damages to the export trade.

They alleged that KICT and QICT wharfage charges were also much higher than those of the KPT. For a 40-feet container the KPT charges Rs1,400 and for a 20-feet container it charges Rs700.

"The private container terminals - QICT - charge Rs3,850 for a 40-feet container and Rs2,850 for a 20-feet container." Similarly, they said the KICT also charged very high - Rs3,950 for 40ft and Rs2,550 for 20ft containers. On delay, the private terminal operators impose a penalty of $10 per hour.

They demanded of the ministry of communication and the Central Board of Revenue to hold inquiry against the QICT and other private terminal operators for evaluating their performance and terminate the licences of inefficient and costly private operators.